Firstly a huge thank you to all participants in last week’s election. 

Whether fellow candidates, counting agents, poll clerks or voters, I know it is both a privilege and for some a significant responsibility enabling our democracy. 

There will, no doubt, over the coming weeks and months be post mortems, wash ups and analysis, but for now it is simply the time to say thank you.

For my part, as I think I said to the Romsey Advertiser ahead of the election, I will do nothing differently this time around. I have gone back to trying to tackle a mammoth inbox with determination. It is not for no reason that I sometimes find myself writing this column at 5.30 in the morning, that is just down to the volume of correspondence I receive.

Going back to Parliament often feels like a new year at school. Although as one colleague pointed out this time around I am now a “veteran”. I seem to have jumped from 6th former to old girl in one six-week campaign, although in fairness that is exactly what it feels like.  My step count has gone through the floor the last seven days, and I am reassured I won’t be back into Bradbeers for yet another pair of trainers in the immediate future.

The big event in Westminster this week was the election of Mr Speaker, and the opportunity for us all to hear from every party leader when they made their congratulatory speeches to Lindsay Hoyle. Some years ago I was at school with Lindsay’s daughter, Emma, and I discovered this week that one of my new colleagues is a former Mountbatten School pupil. It was great to meet Mike Reader, the newly elected Member for Northampton South. For years Romsey School has been able to boast that one of its alumni is an MP, and Mountbatten can now too!

The Rotary Club of Romsey Test hosted the annual Mayor’s Picnic in the Memorial Park last weekend, and this weekend we have the Beggar’s Fayre to look forward to in Romsey. It is one of the many many things I love about the town, the active civic community that comes together to put on such fantastic events. The past six weeks of the election campaign have been a great excuse to go to every village fete and coffee morning I could find, which are such wonderful opportunities to chat with the real stalwarts who make things happen.

Rt Hon Caroline Nokes MP,
Member of Parliament for Romsey and Southampton North